#TBT: The Original Post (keep reading after for my new 2014 thoughts!)
Caught in the Act by Peter Moore
That is basically what you see in Peter Moore's novel, Caught in the Act, when Ethan Lederer, a good kid with a good reputation, falls for the new girl dressed in black.
As Ethan puts it, he was doomed from the minute he first laid eyes on Lydia Krane, and it doesn’t take long for him to be captivated by her Carebears t-shirts, Goth clothing, and black dyed hair.
But more than that, Lydia understands him in a way no one else does, or so he thinks. She is also the only person who knows his whole smart guy status is a façade built on parental expectations, late night cramming, and cheating when necessary.
And then things start getting weird.
I don’t want to spoil all the bizarre, psychotic complications in the plot, but let’s just say the whole tattoo thing in the story ranks pretty high on the crazy scale.
You know, the story really grabs you from the start, and you find yourself rooting for Ethan and Lydia as they have all these meaningful encounters in the early chapters.
Then, the author hits you with all this drama, and I don’t just mean figuratively, as both Lydia and Ethan take the lead roles in a modern day interpretation of Macbeth in the annual school play.
By the end everything unravels for Ethan as he finally faces up to some of his choices and decisions, but not without a heavy cost.
Caught in the Act is not a psychological thriller, but it has enough twists and beyond nutty behavior to keep you turning the pages. Lydia leaves her imprint on Ethan and makes you think twice about breaking up with your current gal or guy just for somebody you think you really know. Enjoy the new YA Macbeth!
Dear Readers,
Published about a decade ago in 2005, Caught in the Act is a well-written YA with a load of intensity and an extremely intriguing storyline. Probably a YA you missed.
Peter Moore has served as a high school counselor, so you know he might have seen some crazy stuff. You all have probably seen crazy stuff or done some crazy stuff yourself, like passing by a boy's house about 25 times in one week. Well, that was back in the 1990s. Do "stalkish" girls still do this? Or do they just hound the guy on Twitter?
If you never read this YA, the purchase price is just a little over $4.00 on Amazon. Seriously, how can you go wrong especially when the book features the first person narration of a teenage boy with a crazy girlfriend? Also, I know I have ready plenty of YA where the guy is obsessed with the girl and not the other way around such as with Stay by Deb Caletti or Stolen by Lucy Christopher.
Then there is the whole Macbeth thing--the dark obsession of Macbeth mirroring the dark obsession in the relationship between Ethan and Lydia.
Just read these two gorgeous lines at the start of chapter 1:
"It was a cool day in October when Lydia Krane walked into our sophomore honors chem class. I was doomed from the minute I set eyes on her."
Then, the author hits you with all this drama, and I don’t just mean figuratively, as both Lydia and Ethan take the lead roles in a modern day interpretation of Macbeth in the annual school play.
By the end everything unravels for Ethan as he finally faces up to some of his choices and decisions, but not without a heavy cost.
Caught in the Act is not a psychological thriller, but it has enough twists and beyond nutty behavior to keep you turning the pages. Lydia leaves her imprint on Ethan and makes you think twice about breaking up with your current gal or guy just for somebody you think you really know. Enjoy the new YA Macbeth!
Looking Back and Forward, 2014
Dear Readers,
Published about a decade ago in 2005, Caught in the Act is a well-written YA with a load of intensity and an extremely intriguing storyline. Probably a YA you missed.
Peter Moore has served as a high school counselor, so you know he might have seen some crazy stuff. You all have probably seen crazy stuff or done some crazy stuff yourself, like passing by a boy's house about 25 times in one week. Well, that was back in the 1990s. Do "stalkish" girls still do this? Or do they just hound the guy on Twitter?
If you never read this YA, the purchase price is just a little over $4.00 on Amazon. Seriously, how can you go wrong especially when the book features the first person narration of a teenage boy with a crazy girlfriend? Also, I know I have ready plenty of YA where the guy is obsessed with the girl and not the other way around such as with Stay by Deb Caletti or Stolen by Lucy Christopher.
Then there is the whole Macbeth thing--the dark obsession of Macbeth mirroring the dark obsession in the relationship between Ethan and Lydia.
Just read these two gorgeous lines at the start of chapter 1:
"It was a cool day in October when Lydia Krane walked into our sophomore honors chem class. I was doomed from the minute I set eyes on her."
A writer who can write these first two lines is a writer I want to read anytime. And, Peter Moore--don't forget this name--will soon have his most recent novel released this coming May, V is for Villian.
Summary from Amazon: V is for Villian
Brad Baron is used to looking lame compared to his older brother, Blake. Though Brad's basically a genius, Blake is a superhero in the elite Justice Force. And Brad doesn't measure up at his high school, either, where powers like super-strength and flying are the norm. So when Brad makes friends who are more into political action than weight lifting, he's happy to join a new crew-especially since it means spending more time with Layla, a girl who may or may not have a totally illegal, totally secret super-power. And with her help, Brad begins to hone a dangerous new power of his own.
But when they're pulled into a web of nefarious criminals, high-stakes battles, and startling family secrets, Brad must choose which side he's on. And once he does, there's no turning back.
P.S. And now an obsessive love song from the fantastic Miranda Lambert... This is basically Lydia's theme song for the rest of her life.
"I cut my bangs with some rusty kitchen scissors
I screamed his name ‘til the neighbors called the cops."
Talk about obsession! Please watch this video--it is a seriously fantastic creation!
Fictionally Yours Siempre,
Minerva
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